Short Summary

THERE WERE POIGNANT SCENES IN THE STREETS OF BELFAST TODAY (FRIDAY) FOLLOWING THE STREET FIGHTING LAST NIGHT BETWEEN CATHOLIC ADN PROTESTANT GROUPS IN WHICH AT LEAST FIVE PEOPLE ARE KNOWN TO HAVE DIED.

Description

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CU CATHOLIC WOMAN (SOF BEGINS: "I SAY TELL THEM TO GET HELP HERE". SOF ENDS: ...... GET SOMEBODY TO HELP US".
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FIRE-GUTTED ROW OF HOMES; MAN AND GROUP OF WOMEN BEING INTERVIEWED (SOF).

TRANSCRIPT: INTERVIEWER: "WHY ARE ALL THESE HOUSES BURNT HERE?"

"WHEN THE CATHOLICS WERE RETREATING LAST NIGHT THEY GOT RID OF THEIR PETROL BOMBS INTO THEIR HOUSES ON THE WAY BACK. SCURRYING BACK TO THEIR HOLES LIKE RATS".

INTERVIEWER: "WHO SET THESE HOUSES ON FIRE THEN?"

PROTESTANT: "THE CATHOLICS THEMSELVES".

INTERVIEWER: "THEY SET THEIR OWN HOUSES ON FIRE?"

PROTESTANT: "YES, WITH THEIR OWN PETROL BOMBS. SO THEY WOULDN'T BE CAUGHT WITH THEM IN THEIR HANDS. THEY WERE WELL PLANNED DOWN THERE. SO THEY HAVE. (NUMBER OF VOICES) I THINK THEY HAVE INDEED. I THINK THEY HAVE".

INTERVIEWER: "WHAT DO YOU THINK IS GOING TO HAPPEN TONIGHT THEN?"

PROTESTANT: "THIS (NOT INTELLIGIBLE) GETTING OUT OF HAND ALTOGETHER".

CATHOLIC WOMAN: "I SAY TELL THEM TO GET HERE BEFORE WE'RE MURDERED. (GARBLED) AND I DON'T MY KIDS MURDERED".

INTERVIEWER: "DID YOU SEE WHAT HAPPENED LAST NIGHT?"

CATHOLIC WOMAN: "I SEEN .. I HEAR. YOU DIDN'T HAVE TO SEE. I HEARS. SEE COLLIWAY STREET.. THEY'RE STORMING WITH UNION JACKS CURSING THE POPE .. ALL THE CATHOLICS IS BURNED OUT. ISN'T THIS TERRIBLE. MY CHILDREN ARE BAD HURT AND I HAD TO GET THEN OUT OF THE HOUSE."

INTERVIEWER: "WHERE ARE YOU LIVING NOW?"

CATHOLIC WOMAN: "MY CHILDREN IS AWAY UP THE ROAD AND MY HUSBAND IS OVER IN ENGLAND WORKING. YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT WE'VE BEEN THROUGH. I'VE BEEN UP ALL NIGHT."

ANOTHER WOMAN: "MY MUMMY AND DADDY'S AWAY UP THE ROAD LIVING"

INTERVIEWER: "DID YOU EVER THINK IT WOULD COME TO THIS?"

WOMAN: "NO .. AND THEY KILLED CHILDREN DOWN LAST NIGHT DOWN THERE IN THE FLAT A WEE BOY. THEY BROUGHT HIM DOWN FOR SAFETY FROM THE FLATS DOWN THE ROAD. THIS WOMAN HERE WILL TELL YOU WHAT IT'S LIKE ON THE ROAD (SEVERAL VOICES)."

INTERVIEWER: "DO YOU LIVE ON THAT ROAD?"

WOMAN: (SEVERAL VOICES ANSWERED)

INTERVIEWER: "HAVE YOU EVER HAD FRIENDS ON THE PROTESTANT SIDE?"

WOMAN: "OH, YES, WE'VE FRIENDS ON THE PROTESTANT SIDE (MIXED VOICES) OH, NO RELATIONS. THEY WEREN'T FRIENDS LAST NIGHT. THEY WEREN'T. THEY WERE JUST OUT TO BUTCHER US LAST NIGHT AND THESE LADS HERE HAD TO DEFEND US. THERE WAS NO GUNS. THE GUNS WERE ALL ON THE OTHER SIDE".

INTERVIEWER: "AND THERE WERE NO GUNS ON THIS SIDE?"

WOMAN: "THERE WERE NO GUNS ON THIS SIDE. NO GUNS AT ALL. BECAUSE I WAS UP A LONG TIME".

INTERVIEWER: "WHAT DO YOU WANT THE GOVERNMENT HERE TO DO NOW?"

WOMAN: "WE WANT HELP. GET THE MILITARY. GET SOMEBODY IN TO HELP US".

Initials RE/V/CR/PC

Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: THERE WERE POIGNANT SCENES IN THE STREETS OF BELFAST TODAY (FRIDAY) FOLLOWING THE STREET FIGHTING LAST NIGHT BETWEEN CATHOLIC ADN PROTESTANT GROUPS IN WHICH AT LEAST FIVE PEOPLE ARE KNOWN TO HAVE DIED. THERE WERE ALSO SOME POIGNANT INTERVIEWS ON THE CAUSE. EACH SIDE BLAMED THE OTHER.